The epidemic caused by the Chinese coronavirus (2019-nCoV) continues to claim new victims and victims. According to figures from the National Health Commission in China, the total number of deaths has risen in the last hours to 106 victims and there are more than 4,500 confirmed cases in the Asian country. In Europe, German health authorities have confirmed on Tuesday the first case of contagion of a citizen who was not in China and was infected by contact with a citizen of Wuhan who carried the virus.
The Ministry of Health last week called for peace and assured that there is a "very low" risk of contracting the coronavirus in Spain. The new minister, Salvador Illa, said at a press conference that "our country has sufficient resources and a good coordination system with the Autonomous Communities to act in the event of any eventuality."
Even so, the Ministry of Health itself launched last Friday a protocol of action against possible cases of infection that take place in our country and gave a series of guidelines for the citizen to minimize the risk of infection. The Spanish Society of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Hygiene (Sempsph) has also recalled what are the basic prevention measures.
Avoid contact
The Ministry of Health recommends avoiding "close contact" not only with people who may have been in the affected area, but with all those who show "signs of respiratory condition such as coughing or sneezing." At first it was thought that the virus was transmitted in only one direction, from animals to people, but the investigations carried out last week confirmed that it can also be transmitted from person to person, through the air droplets.
"In order for the infection to occur, direct contact of the respiratory secretions of an infected animal or of a sick person would be necessary, with the mucous membranes of another person (nose, mouth, eyes)," says the Ministry of Health. The health authorities warn that it is "unlikely transmission by air over distances greater than one or two meters", so it is recommended to maintain a safe distance of one meter with people who have different respiratory conditions.
Frequent hand washing
As with other viruses such as influenza, frequent hand washing is the most effective measure both to prevent infection and to prevent the spread of the virus. This is reflected in the document prepared by Health: "Generic measures of individual protection against respiratory diseases [such as pneumonia caused by the Wuhan virus] include performing hand hygiene (washing with soap and water or alcoholic solutions)".
This washing must be done by rubbing palm on palm with enough soap, then interlacing the fingers, and rubbing the backs of the fingers against the palm. In addition, as recommended by el Sergas (Galician Health Service), you should perform a rinse that includes the area of the forearms and reaches the elbow, and drying with disposable paper towels. "This process should take between 40 and 60 seconds."
Cover your mouth and nose
The Ministry of Health also advises covering your mouth and nose with tissues or with a cloth when you cough or sneeze. It is more than usual to see how the people we have around us and with whom we agree in public transport cough or sneeze on the hand.
As Vicente Baos, primary care physician at the Collado Villalba-Pueblo Health Center and author of the El Supositorio blog, is an error. "Everyone coughs in the hand. And of course, neither washed, nor gel, or anything. With this level of knowledge / attitude to viral respiratory infections we take it clear if something fat comes." If we do not have disposable tissues, it is best to cover your mouth with your forearm, to prevent possible droplets from spreading through direct contact.
Avoid eating food in affected areas
Finally, although this measure does not affect our country, the Spanish Society of Preventive Medicine recommends that, in the affected areas, the consumption of meat and other foods that are not properly cooked be avoided. This will avoid the possibility that the coronavirus can be transmitted through food.
Despite the existing concern, both the Ministry of Health and various medical societies of our Spanish insist that in our country there are no reasons for the alarm. "Spain has a Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies of the Ministry of Health, in continuous contact with the WHO and the ECDC, Public Health Alert Units in most of the Autonomous Communities and Preventive Medicine Services in the hospitals in charge of managing the transmission risk ”.
